Diamond Jubilee Kilo Coins

Diamond Jubilee Kilo Coins

25 May 2012

The Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen is a truly momentous occasion and The Royal Mint has unveiled the first ever UK kilo coin to mark a royal event.

The gold Kilo coin, priced at £60,000, contains one kilo of fine gold – only 60 will be struck – making it one of the most exclusive and collectable pieces of Diamond Jubilee memorabilia. In addition to the gold Kilo coin, a silver Kilo coin has also been created, priced at £2,600, and only 1,250 will be minted.

Each of the coins has a diameter of 100 millimetres with a deeper relief than any other UK coin struck for the Diamond Jubilee, creating two impressive and precious coins in honour of this rarest of Jubilees. Both Kilo coins are UK legal tender but have been created for those looking for the ultimate heirloom to mark this historic event and to pass on for future generations to enjoy.

Designed by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS, the coin’s reverse depicts the Royal Coat of Arms which graces the gates of Buckingham Palace, The Queen’s official London home. Britain has witnessed a Diamond Jubilee just once before, when Queen Victoria, The Queen’s great-great grandmother, celebrated 60 years on the throne in 1897. The Royal Coat of Arms is a powerful symbolic link between Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II as it has remained the same for both of the monarch’s reigns.

The design is a fitting tribute to Buckingham Palace as it has served as the official London home of the British Sovereign since 1837 when Queen Victoria came to the throne. Buckingham Palace will be the focal point of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations as visitors from the UK and around the world are greeted by the Royal Coat of Arms as they look through the gates. This majestic, heraldic image, complete with the lion and unicorn supporters perfectly captures the pageantry and heritage of this once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

The obverse of the Kilo coin features the Diamond Jubilee portrait of Her Majesty The Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS – created especially for and exclusive to all UK 2012 Diamond Jubilee coins struck by The Royal Mint.

Commenting on his design, Ian Rank-Broadley said “ It was my intention to create a new coin that follows a numismatic tradition yet still has a relevance to a modern audience, by linking the two great Jubilees of Victoria and Elizabeth II – to try to link this present Diamond Jubilee with the last and give it an historic aspect.”

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Gold UK Kilo Coin is housed in a case made of sweet chestnut wood from the trees at Great Windsor Park, the Crown Estate of Windsor Castle, one of The Queen’s private homes. The Diamond Jubilee Silver UK Kilo Coin is presented in a blue faux leather case and both come with an illustrated booklet, numbered plaque and a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

The Diamond Jubilee Gold UK Kilo Coin is available to order by telephoning (0) 1443 623240. The Diamond Jubilee Silver UK Kilo Coin is also available from The Royal Mint’s website www.royalmint.com

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For media enquiries or images, please contact The Royal Mint Press Office on 020 7853 2390. Images of The Royal Mint and its products are available upon request.

Coin Specifications: The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee UK Kilo Coins

Silver Proof Kilo Coin

Gold Proof Kilo Coin

Diameter

100.00mm

100.00mm

Weight

1005.00g

1005.00g

Alloy

.999 fine silver

.999 fine gold

Denomination

£500

£1000

Reverse Designer

Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS

Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS

Obverse Designer

Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS

Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS

Production Standard

Proof

Proof

Maximum Coin Mintage

1250

60

Note to editors

On 1 January 2010 the assets of The Royal Mint Trading Fund were vested into a private company, called The Royal Mint Limited. HM Treasury remains 100% owner of the shares of the company. All assets of an historical nature have been vested into a separate company, The Royal Mint Museum, to preserve, protect and enhance them for future generations to come. With the exception of the assets separated into the Museum, all other assets and liabilities, including those of a contingent nature, were transferred into the new company effective 1 January 2010.

About The Royal Mint

The Royal Mint has a history dating back over 1,000 years. By the late thirteenth century the organisation was based in the Tower of London, and remained there for over 500 years. By 1812 The Royal Mint had moved out of the Tower to premises on London’s Tower Hill. In 1967 the building of a new Royal Mint began on its current site in Llantrisant, South Wales.

There were estimated to be 28.6 billion UK coins in circulation at 31 March 2011, with a total face value of £3.8 billion – all manufactured by The Royal Mint. 1.1 billion UK coins were issued during 2010-11.

The Royal Mint’s Llantrisant site was recently chosen to host the Prime Minister David Cameron’s first government cabinet meeting in Wales.

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